National Park

Angammedilla National Park

Province

North Central

District

Polonnaruwa

Type of the Forest

National park

Established

06-06-2006

Governing body

Department of Wildlife Conservation

Area

75.289 km2

Introduction

Angammedilla National Park is one of the new national parks in Sri Lanka. The region was designated national park on 6th June, 2006. Originally Angammedilla was a forest reserve within the Minneriya-Girithale Sanctuary declared on 12th February, 1988. The park is declared mainly to protect the drainage basin of Parakrama Samudra. Angammedilla also secures the drainage basins of Minneriya and Girithale irrigation tanks too, water sources in White hill (Sinhala for “Sudu Kanda ") and habitats and wildlife of the adjacent forests. It is located 225 kilometers (140 mi) away from Colombo in Polonnaruwa District.

Physical features

Amban river which is sourced by Sudu Kanda forms the southern border of the park. A mountain range stretches across the park from Girithale to Minneriya. In the drought period the park is very dry. In the rainy season, mountainous area receives more rainfall than the plains. Since a mix wet and dry climate persists in the park the vegetation is a mix of wet zone and dry zone plants.

In the ancient times water has irrigated from Amban river to Parakrama Samudra in a canal done in stone. The rocky wall of the canal called royal wall by the villagers.

History

-

Endemic varieties

Flora

The vegetation of the park is predominantly dry evergreen forests. Diospyros ebenum is the dominant plant species in the forest. Mesua ferrea trees are grown in communities.